Retreat

I like to look at retreats as being examples of neoclassicism, a revival of hope, humility, charity. I like to call retreats confined nuclear testing. The spiritual life needs to be challenged, expanded. Our souls need to learn new prayers and hymns.

With the fatalism of a teenager who was watched too many R movies, I ventured into the rainy morning with thoughts of the Nativity, the Nobel Peace Prize, Notre Dame, and nonviolent resistance. I opened my black neocolonial umbrella and thought of the Old Testament. The rain collided with the umbrella and did an uneven tap dance above my head.

With a mesmerizing fluidity the retreat began and my mind was filled with images of St. Francis of Assissi. I was able to learn about his youth while remembering my own. Knowledge needs prayer and silence.

It is easy to carper about our mistakes and setbacks. Venting and whining easily can be interpreted as stereotypical whimpering. If our lives are filled with love for God and love for humanity, then how could we complain about events in our lives.

I enjoyed hearing about St. Francis’s life, his labors, the chapels he worked on. I could relate to the majesty and power of activity and work. It focuses the mind, provides direction and guidance.

We must examine our lives, how we think, what we think, when we think; how we act, when we act, why we act.

Without proper care and dedication malnutrition can attack our souls, weaken us, hinder our ability to love, be humble, be compassionate, be merciful. Without proper attention sin can attack our minds and souls leaving us with malignant bitterness, selfishness, jealousy, festering.

We must remember to read the bible and reflect on what we have read; we need silence; we need time to contemplate, to meditate. Prayer needs to be an important part of our lives.

Our lives must always be overflowing with humility, charity, compassion, mercy, and love to combat the reduction of humanity, reduction of social justice that the secular world promotes. I understand that life contains moments of uncertainty, moments of unfulfillment.

But, with a little effort our lives can inspire hope when we remember to place God first.

We must remember that we are fallible, we are imperfect. In order to be good Christians our lives must be filled with goodness, we must be moving in Jesus’ footsteps, moving toward holiness in our thoughts and actions.